Formosa Group Adds Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill to Team

Formosa Group has hired Academy Award-nominee Ron Bartlett (Life of Pi) and Academy Award-winner Doug Hemphill (The Last of the Mohicans) to its features talent roster. The postproduction sound company is introducing a new concept whereby top-level mixers join Formosa exclusively, but are encouraged to work at any facility that helps fulfill the requirements of the client.

“We recognize that Ron and Doug are embraced by a host of filmmakers who are comfortable working at a variety of studios and facilities all over the world,” said Robert Rosenthal, CEO of Formosa Group. “Acknowledging how portable the postproduction process has become, it was important for us to develop a strategy that provides location flexibility while continuing to offer talented artists a place to call home.”

Bartlett started in the film business in sound editorial working on such films as Die Hard, Total Recall, Star Trek V and Beauty and the Beast. He then focused on mixing with Quentin Tarantino’s first film, Reservoir Dogs and has collaborated with directors who include Cameron Crowe, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann and Ang Lee. Some of his films include Sherlock Holmes, The Fifth Element, Jesse James, 8 Mile and, most recently, Black Mass. Bartlett was nominated for a BAFTA as well as an Academy Award for best sound for his work on Life of Pi. Additionally, he has composed original film scores and albums. Bartlett has also performed live music in such notable venues as The Whiskey, The Roxy and The Ford Theatre. He continues to use his musical sensibilities in his work as a re-recording mixer.

Hemphill began working on films when serving as a mix recordist on Apocalypse Now. He continued working with Francis Ford Coppola through the release of Rumble Fish, after which he moved to southern California where he did field recordings for Gremlins. Over the years, he’s enjoyed collaborating on a wide array of films as a re-recording mixer, primarily mixing sound effects, but also dialogue and music. Features include the X-Men series, Walk the Line, Master and Commander, Life of Pi and Almost Famous. He has been honored with multiple BAFTAs, Cinema Audio Society awards and Academy Award nominations, as well as an Oscar win for The Last of the Mohicans. Originally from Texas, Hemphill’s first job mixing came from Willie Nelson on “Red Headed Stranger.” Nelson was involved in Farm Aid and knew Doug’s family had been farmers in Texas. He gave Doug his start in mixing sound.

Both recently collaborated together on X-Men: Days of Future Past and Scorch Trials.